NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.

OHL All-Rookie Team (2000) Canadian Major Junior All-Rookie Team (2000) OHL First All-Star Team (2001) NHL All-Rookie Team (2002)
Signed as a free agent by Vsetin (CzRep), September 17, 2004. Signed as a free agent by Hameenlinna (Finland), January 29, 2005. Missed majority of 2008-09 due to various injuries. Missed majority of 2009-10 due to groin injury vs. St. Louis, November 30, 2009. Traded to Phoenix by Columbus with Dane Byers for Scottie Upshall and Sami Lepisto, February 28, 2011. Signed as a free agent by Trinec (CzRep), September 21, 2012. Traded to Washington by Phoenix with Chris Brown and a 4th round choice in 2015 Entry Draft for Martin Erat and John Mitchell, March 4, 2014. Traded to Buffalo by Washington with Michal Neuvirth for Jaroslav Halak and Buffalo's 3rd round choice in 2015 Entry Draft, March 5, 2014. Signed as a free agent by Trinec (CzRep), June 25, 2014.

PLAYER BIO

2012-13 Highlights
Posted 2-6-8 and 22 PIM in 38 games...Ranked fourth on the team in blocked shots (60) and shorthanded TOI/game (2:20)... Scored a goal at CHI, Apr. 20...Collected a career-high four assists at NSH, Mar. 28...Recorded an assist vs. LAK, Mar. 12... Scored his first goal of the season vs. MIN, Feb. 28...Skated in a season-high 24:33 TOI vs. CGY Feb. 18...Registered an assist vs. CBJ, Feb. 16...Played in his 600th career NHL game at COL, Feb. 11...Missed eight games with an injury (1/23-2/4)

2011-12 Highlights
Recorded 3-10-13 and 54 penalty minutes in 65 games…Led the team in blocked shots (150) and ranked fourth on the team in plus/minus (plus-13)…Ranked fifth on the team in TOI/game (19:21) and second in shorthanded TOI/game (2:45)…His 112 hits were second most on the team for defensemen…Blocked seven shots at SJS, Mar. 24…Scored a goal at VAN, Mar. 14…Collected his 100th career NHL assist at DAL, Feb. 7…Netted a goal vs. COL, Jan. 16…Scored a goal and blocked six shots at CAR, Dec. 21…Blocked five shots vs. MTL, Nov. 10…Had an assist vs. LAK, Oct. 29 and at COL, Nov. 2…Collected his first assist with PHX and had a plus-4 rating at NSH, Oct. 13…2012 Playoffs: Tied for fourth on the team in playoff scoring with 2-6-8 in 15 games…His six assists were tied for second best on the team…Third on the team in playoff blocked shots (27)…Had one assist in five games against LAK in the WCF…Recorded 1-2-3 in five games of the WCSF against NSH…Registered 1-1-2 in Game 1 vs. NSH, Apr. 27…Registered 1-3-4 in six games of the WCQF against CHI…Scored his first career postseason goal, while collecting his first career multi-point playoff game (1-2-3) in Game 3 at CHI, Apr. 17.

2010-11 Highlights
Began the season in Columbus and recorded 3-7-10 in 45 games before being traded to the Coyotes on Feb. 28…Recorded 1-0-1 in 16 games with PHX…Finished second on the team in blocked shots (131)…Scored a goal in his first game with PHX Mar. 1 vs. DAL…Missed 13 games with an injury (1/25-2/28)…Recorded a goal vs. PHX, Jan. 11…Netted a goal vs. CGY, Dec. 21…Scored a goal at LAK, Nov. 17…2011 Playoffs: Appeared in all four games of the WCQF vs. DET and recorded seven penalty minutes.

2009-10 Highlights
Tallied 2-6-8 and 26 penalty minutes in 26 games with CBJ…Played 20-plus minutes in 14 of 26 games…Suffered a season-ending injury vs. STL, Nov. 30…Skated in a season-high 26:29 TOI and added an assist vs. CGY, Nov. 28…Had a game-high four blocked shots Oct. 20 at CGY…Had a game-high six blocked shots vs. CGY, Oct. 13…Notched an assist and was a plus-2 in 22:13 of action at PHX, Oct. 10…Opened the season with points in back-to-back games (2-1-3)…Recorded the game-winning goal in the season opener vs. MIN, Oct. 3.

2008-09 Highlights
Notched 1-8-9, 38 penalty minutes and was a plus-2 in 34 games with CBJ…Missed 48 games with injuries…Played in 100 consecutive games Mar. 27, 2007-Nov. 1, 2008…Tallied his first goal of the season at MIN, Oct. 25…2009 Playoffs: Registered his first career playoff point (assist) in Game 4 of the WCQF vs. DET, Apr. 23…Made his Stanley Cup playoff debut in Game 1 of the WCQF at DET, Apr. 16.

2007-08 Highlights
Collected 6-12-18 with 60 penalty minutes and was a plus-7 in 82 games with CBJ…Was one of two Blue Jackets to play in all 82 games (Nikolai Zherdev)…Set career highs in plus/minus (plus-7), power-play goals (3) and TOI/game (23:12)…Tied a career high with one GWG…Led the club in TOI/game and logged 20-plus minutes in 78 of 82 games…Ranked second on the club in plus/minus and was tied for fourth in power-play goals (3)…Was second among Blue Jackets’ defensemen in goals, points, plus/minus rating, power-play goals and shots (130)…Played in a Blue Jackets’ season-high (OT game) 31:45 of action at CHI, Mar. 30…Became the second player to play in 400 games as a Blue Jacket (David Vyborny) on vs. DET, Mar. 16…Tied a Blue Jackets’ franchise record when he was a plus-4 vs. TBL, Mar. 9…Collected the 100th point of his NHL career with a goal at PHX, Jan. 17.

2006-07 Highlights
Collected 9-13-22 and 105 penalty minutes in 75 games with CBJ…Led team defensemen in goals…Set career highs in goals and points…Was fourth on the team in penalty minutes and fifth in shots (159)…Played the 300th game of his NHL career at VAN, Jan. 30…Netted his first career multi-goal game with 2-0-2 at STL, Nov. 9.

2005-06 Highlights
Tallied 6-13-19 and 75 penalty minutes in 51 games with CBJ…Ranked fourth on the club in ice time per game (21:26)…Missed 32 games due to injury.

2004-05 Highlights
Had 7-17-24, 136 penalty minutes and was a plus-3 in 41 games with HC Vsetin (Czech)…Tallied 1-2-3 with 12 penalty minutes in nine games with Hameenlinna (Finland).

2003-04 Highlights
Had 2-11-13 and 27 penalty minutes in 47 games with CBJ…Finished third among club defensemen in goals, assists and points…Played the 200th game of his NHL career at NSH, Mar. 27…Notched the first game-winning goal of his NHL career at TBL, Jan. 2.

2002-03 Highlights
Had 2-14-16 and 71 penalty minutes in 72 games with CBJ…Named to the Topps/NHL YoungStars Game for the second consecutive season and played in the contest for the first time…Second among team defensemen in assists and third in points…Recorded first multi-point game of his NHL career with 0-2-2 vs. BUF, Nov. 3.

2001-02 Highlights
Had 8-8-16 and 74 penalty minutes in 75 games with CBJ during his rookie season…Named to the NHL All-Rookie Team…Selected to play in the Topps/NHL YoungStars Game, but was unable to play due to an injury…Led all NHL rookie defensemen in goals…Was second on the team in plus/minus rating among players with at least 50 games…Ranked tied for fourth in the NHL and led all rookies in blocked shots (175)…Missed seven games Jan. 26-Feb. 9 with an injury…Tallied his first career NHL assist at CHI, Oct. 14.

2000-01 Highlights
Registered 2-0-2 and six penalty minutes in eight games with CBJ…Scored the first goal of his NHL career in the Blue Jackets first-ever win Oct. 12 at CGY…Recorded 18-36-54 with 59 penalty minutes and was a plus-22 in 45 games with Brampton (OHL)…Ranked second on the Batallion in points per game (1.20)…Added 2-9-11 with 26 penalty minutes in nine playoff games…Led the Batallion in assists and tied for second in points…Was named the top NHL prospect by The Hockey News for the 2000-01 campaign.

1999-2000 Highlights
Recorded 16-29-45 with 174 penalty minutes and was a plus-3 in 67 games with Brampton (OHL)…Named to the OHL’s and the Canadian Hockey League’s All-Rookie Teams…Won the CHL’s Top Prospect Award…Ranked 10th among all OHL defensemen in scoring and second among first-year OHL blueliners…Set Brampton franchise records for goals, assists and points by a defenseman and penalty minutes…Selected to play in the OHL All-Star game…Ranked fourth on his team in scoring…Ranked second on the Central Scouting Service mid-term and final rankings…Participated in the NHL/CHL Top Prospects game, and scored a goal for Team Orr…Finished second in the hardest shot contest at the CHL Top Prospects Skills Competition…Finished third in the OHL’s Western Conference Coaches’ Poll for Best Bodychecker.

1998-99 Highlights
Recorded 4-12-16 with 100 penalty minutes in 54 games with Sioux City (USHL).

International Career
2007: Scored a goal and had eight penalty minutes in four games with the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Championship in Russia…Notched 1-0-1 with eight penalty minutes in four games for Team Czech Republic at the IIHF World Championship…2002: Recorded 1-2-3 in seven games for the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Championship in Sweden…2001: Helped the Czech Republic capture the gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Russia…Tallied 3-4-7 in seven games to lead all defensemen in scoring and was named the tournament’s Top Defenseman.

Personal
Rusty and his wife Kristyna, have a son Rostislav…Favorite movies are “Braveheart”, “Dumb & Dumber” and “Billy Madison”…Lists Married with Children as his favorite TV show…His favorite vacations spots are Italy and Switzerland…Enjoys listening to U2, 50 Cent and Czech artists…Lists Mario Lemieux as his hockey idol growing up…Enjoys traveling and sports.

NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.